Overview
Tim Schafer writes games people quote. From the surreal humour of Day of the Tentacle through Grim Fandango’s noir poetry to Psychonauts’ emotional depth, his work combines sharp comedy with genuine heart. His LucasArts adventures defined the genre’s peak; Double Fine continues exploring new territory with the same distinctive voice.
Fast facts
- Born: 1967.
- Companies: LucasArts, Double Fine.
- Known for: Day of the Tentacle, Grim Fandango.
- Style: Comedy with heart.
LucasArts era
| Title |
Year |
Role |
| The Secret of Monkey Island |
1990 |
Co-writer |
| Monkey Island 2 |
1991 |
Co-writer |
| Day of the Tentacle |
1993 |
Co-project leader |
| Full Throttle |
1995 |
Project leader |
| Grim Fandango |
1998 |
Director |
Writing style
| Element |
Characteristic |
| Dialogue |
Quotable, sharp |
| Characters |
Loveable misfits |
| Humour |
Absurdist but warm |
| Themes |
Identity, belonging |
Double Fine Productions
| Founded | 2000 |
| Location | San Francisco |
| Philosophy | Creative freedom |
| Output | Diverse genres |
Double Fine games
| Title |
Year |
Genre |
| Psychonauts |
2005 |
Platformer |
| Brütal Legend |
2009 |
Action |
| Costume Quest |
2010 |
RPG |
| Broken Age |
2014 |
Adventure |
| Psychonauts 2 |
2021 |
Platformer |
Crowdfunding pioneer
| Project |
Achievement |
| Broken Age |
Kickstarter record (2012) |
| Documentary |
Development transparency |
| Industry impact |
Proven crowdfunding model |
Microsoft acquisition
| Year |
Event |
| 2019 |
Double Fine joins Xbox |
| Result |
Larger budgets, same creativity |
See also